Interrogation
by Gotham's Siren
Summary: Flash gets ahold of Wonder Woman's lasso and uses it to ask Batman questions that the Dark Knight can't help but answer. But does Wally really want to delve into Bruce Wayne's mind? Does he really want his questions answered?


_**Just a oneshot that came to me :) Hope everyone enjoys! **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own :)**_

_**Chapter 1**_

"Come on Diana just let me borrow it for a little while!" The Flash reached for the golden lasso hanging from the Amazonian's hip, cursing when he realized it could not be removed.

"Wally, no." She gently slapped his hand away, giving him a stern look.

"Aw come on why not?" He reached for it again anyway, shooting her a slightly begging look. He pouted when she merely pulled away, frowning.

"Because it isn't a toy Wally, it's a weapon."

"Oh yeah, so a weapon." He mimicked throwing a lasso, giggling to himself. "I just want to have some fun with in Wondy! I'll bring it back, I promise!"

The princess paused, rolling her eyes. "You'll never stop bugging me will you? You'll just find a way to get it eventually and get yourself into trouble." She paused, turning and giving him a small smile. "And since I don't want that to happen we might as well go have some fun together."

"Yeah!" Wally cheered, throwing a fist into the air. "Let's go!"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Batman sighed, turning in the computer chair to gaze at the large monitor. He had been stuck on monitor duty tonight for hours now, and it had been a long and grueling patrol before that. In short, he was exhausted.

He would never admit that to the others though, or even contemplate asking for someone else to take his shift. It couldn't be done-Batman didn't do that-even if he needed to.

And so he sat in the chair and watched the monitor; there hadn't been any emergencies yet and he was doubtful that there would even be any tonight. Luthor was currently in custody, Joker was in Arkham, and Darkseid was halfway across the galaxy last that he had heard. However, it didn't mean that an emergency wouldn't happen-which meant he had to remain vigilant.

But the knowledge that he must remain alert didn't stop his head from pounding, and it certainly didn't stop the chill seeming to permeate his very core. Alfred would have said he was coming down with a cold or the flu and that he was to lie down, but Alfred wasn't here. So he didn't.

Instead, he typed a few things into the computer, effectively shutting down the cameras in this room (besides his own of course) and locking the doors to all but the remaining original seven league members. When that he was done he slumped in the chair, reaching back a hand to remove the cowl. He sighed in relief when the cold air caressed his face, the edge of his mouth raising minutely in contentment.

He raised his eyes to the screen and leaned back in the chair, studying the screen in front of him. It was only a few more hours until he would be able to go home and fall into bed, and that was the thought that kept him going right now.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Wally, no." Diana tugged on the speedster's arm, pleased when he stumbled back a few inches. He was dangerously close to the monitor room door.

"Come on Di! You've always wanted to use it on him, admit it! You want to know his secrets as much as I do!" Wally prompted, eyes begging her to understand. She had to see it his way right?

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I would actually do it! Batman is a very private man! Doing this would betray his trust!"

Flash scoffed. "Not like he trusts us to begin with anyway, so we aren't really betraying anything."

"Wally!" Diana gasped, looking horrified. "How can you say such things? He trusts us!"

"Yeah, that's why he's told us so many things about him. Beside him being you know who we don't really know anything about the guy!"

"We don't need to know anything else than we already do! Wally, he will tell us when he is ready." She placed a hopefully calming hand on his arm and gave it a small squeeze.

"Yeah, and that's why we'll never learn anything." Flash muttered. "Come on Wondy, I'm not going to hurt him. I just wanna ask him a few questions, that's all. Promise."

She gazed at Wally for a long moment, studying him. He seemed sincere, there was no amount of humor in his tone or his body language, he was serious about this. She trusted him. "Alright. But I am going with you and we are doing this together. If it becomes too much we will stop."

The speedster nodded. "I understand."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Batman heard the keypad's shrill tone for each number of the password, and when the door slid open he turned to address which of the original seven had entered. However, in the second it had taken the door to open and him to turn an object had been thrown around his shoulders and the chair, effectively pinning him. He panicked, struggling against his bonds before realizing the other two heroes in the room. Flash and Wonder Woman stood before the closed door, and in Diana's hand the end of the golden lasso of truth lay. He didn't need to be a detective to know what was going to happen, what they were going to do.

It didn't stop him from glaring at them both, snarling in frustration when they did nothing but stand there, mouths slightly open and gaping like fish.

"Batman." Diana began, looking uncertain.

"Save it. Get me out of here now." Batman barked, his body beginning to tremble as he was flooded with feelings of betrayal and rage.

"No can do B-man. We want some answers first." Wally stood further away than Diana did, his posture practically broadcasting his nervousness, his fear. Batman nearly screamed at the sight of it. He would not be made a spectacle.

"You'll get nothing."

"This lasso will not allow you to lie Bruce, nor will it allow you to leave questions unanswered." Diana whispered quietly, her eyes locked with Bruce's own.

Bruce growled. He had let his guard down around these people. This is what happened when you let yourself get too close, too trusting. Everyone betrayed you in the end.

"Why a bat?" Wally asked first.

Bruce paused, he hadn't expected the questions to come so soon, so abruptly. He hadn't been prepared. The answer was suddenly burning in his throat, scalding and sharp. He fought against it, hanging his head and closing his eyes against the sudden onslaught of painful memories. They didn't know what they were doing, he tried to remind himself. They didn't know how much they would hurt him.

"B-ba-" He growled in frustration as the syllables fought their way out of his mouth. He bit his tongue, his cheek. The answer fought harder. "B-Bat's frighten m-me."

He heard gasps from both of the other heroes, followed by Wally's surprised laughter. "Wait what? The guy who dresses up like bats is afraid of them?"

Bruce snarled, "Yes."

"Why? That doesn't make any sense!" Wally continued to chuckle.

He was compelled to answer the question Wally had posed. He could feel it making its way up, fighting to surface. He closed his eyes and breathed harshly, trying to delay it. He didn't want to tell them, he shouldn't have to!

"W-When I was a child..." He screamed to distract himself, distantly pleased as both heroes jumped back in surprise. He had a few moments before the answer began to spew forth again. "I fell into an a-abandoned well on my property. I was st-stuck for hours before someone found me. But when-when I fell bats in the caverns beneath Wayne manor had been disturbed. They attacked me. Some of them began to bite and claw at my face and arms. I tried to force them away but there w-was too many. After a while they left. They were in my nightmares long after." He finished, feeling drained. During the story he had found himself unable to stop, even to scream. There would be no distractions.

He didn't open his eyes, not wanting to see the looks of pity on their faces. He didn't want it.

"I am sorry Bruce." Diana spoke softly, walking forward to lay a hand on his gauntleted arm. He jumped and bared his teeth, eyes snapping open to glare at her.

"Don't you dare apologize to me. Get me out of here."

"Not yet. That was a bad question, I'm sorry. But I'm not done yet." Wally said, sounding more confident than he looked. "I'll switch to some easier questions okay?"

Bruce merely hung his head, glaring at the floor.

"Where'd you learn everything? All your skills in fighting and stuff?"

This was an easier question? It was just as complicated as the last. Still, there was no real use in fighting against the answer. "When I was fourteen I was accepted at Cambridge. I left and studied at Princeton. Then I left the country to travel the world. My fighting methods were learned mainly from Ra's al Ghul."

"Wait, you went to college when you were fourteen?"

"Yes."

"Wow, you really are a genius." Wally smiled. "So Ra's al Ghul huh? Wait, isn't he your enemy?"

Bruce turned away as much as he could, unable to stop the feeling of shame that rose within him. "Yes, but he was my mentor first."

"Hmm, well that's pretty much sucks." The speedster paused, looking toward the Amazonian warrior that had been standing quietly, the lasso held tightly in her hands. "You have any questions Diana?"

The princess paused. "You spend so much time in the darkness Bruce. I merely wish to know: what is your happiest memory?"

Bruce hesitated, feeling his throat burn with the answer. He wished that he could lie; he wished that he could say it was the day Alfred had taught him to ride his bike, or the day Dick had called him Daddy for the first time. But he knew it wasn't true. He fought against it as long as he was able, biting his lip until he tasted blood on his tongue.

And still, he was forced to answer. "I was ha-happiest when I was addicted to morphine." And it was true; it was the only time in his life when he had not felt the crushing weight of his parent's deaths. He had felt almost completely at ease with his life. That's what had made it so hard to overcome his addiction. He hadn't wanted to do drugs, but he knew that he would never understand the criminal mind completely if he hadn't done so. Living on the streets, starving and going through withdrawals had been the worst experience of his life-he had never wanted something so bad as he did the morphine at that moment. So later, he understood the man who had murdered for his next fix-he understood what it was like to feel so helpless and wanting.

The two heroes in front of him had gasped, both of their faces going pale with the knowledge.

"How-How old were you?"

"Seventeen." He answered quietly, eyes burning with shame.

"Wh-why?"

"So that I could understand." He began earnestly, because he needed them to understand, wanted them to stop looking at him like that. "I wanted to be able to understand what it was like to be addicted, to only want the drugs. I lived for two months on the streets, starving and stealing so that I could pay for my next fix. And then I starved and stole again so that I could survive through the withdrawals."

"For your mission then?" Diana asked suddenly.

"Yes." He breathed. His breath was coming in short gasps, his head hanging. He had never been more ashamed of himself then he was at this moment. The two of them were still looking at him like he was a monster.

"Why become Batman in the first place? Why not use your intelligence and money for something else? Why go through all of that?"

He shook his head. They wouldn't have asked if they had known. He had hidden the information well in his quest to eradicate anything that would link Batman to Bruce Wayne. He had all articles of that night erased; there were no public records of what had happened the night his parents had died. But, perhaps he had hid it a little too well.

The memories they were digging up were tearing into him like knives, leaving him gasping for breath and shaking. "My parents were murdered when I was a child. It was my fault and the guilt and anger drove me to change Gotham. There were no so-called superheroes protecting Gotham then. I swore to change that." He made his answer as short as possible, he may have to tell the truth and answer each question, but that didn't mean he had to add depth.

"What do you mean there weren't any superheroes? I thought Alan Scott was from Gotham." Flash continued.

Bruce growled, "He was nothing. He never treated Gotham like she was deserving of being protected, she was merely a chore, a duty to him. He never plunged his hands into the filth of Gotham like I have. He let Gotham become what it is today!" He finished on a scream, his entire body vibrating with rage.

"Calm down Bruce. It was not Wally's intent to anger you." Diana crooned, her tone gentle.

Bruce silenced, enjoying the time he was allowed to remain silent. He knew it would not last.

"Do you ever wish you could just stop?"

Bruce lifted his head to meet Wally's eyes. "Every day."

The speedster looked confused. "Then why...?"

"Because if I don't, then who else will? If I step down who will save Gotham?" Bruce shook his head sadly. "I may wish to quit, to retire, but I know that I'll never be able to. This is my destiny, and it cannot be changed. My father attempted to save Gotham and was unable to do so, and so it is now my responsibility."

Both heroes remained silent for several moments.

"I think that's enough now." Diana whispered, retracting the golden lasso and releasing him.

Bruce stood immediately, snarling and forcing away their comforting hands and shying away from their looks of pity. He hadn't wanted this. He cleared his throat. "You both will never speak of this again."

"Bruce, we're so-" Diana began, eyes filled with tears as she reached for him.

He evaded her grasp, teeth bared in anger, "Never again!"

They nodded quietly, both pale, and he left the room.

_**Hope everyone enjoyed it, let me know if there are any questions you would have liked Wally to ask and I might add another chapter with a few more questions :)**_


End file.
